A Tale of Promises
by Starfishery
Summary: The war is over and it is now time to rebuild. This story follows an original character as she finds herself in the middle of a new kind of war, a war of politics, romance, and promises. A lady of the Westfold is thrust back into a life she had run away from. (Eomer, Lothiriel, and OC)


Disclaimer: The only characters that belong to me are Hart and Beodwyth, Wing Hold is a place i've made up and resides in the heart of the Westfold an area in Rohan known for its farming and fields. Everything else belongs to Tolkien.

-Wing Hold-

I gazed out from my window, looking off into the distance, there was smoke on the horizon as Orc-Kind had been destroying nearby farms. The farms of my people, the Westfold had suffered greatly and had we not prepared for this possibility my people might have starved.

Fortunately, we had prepared. For years we planted and painstakingly took care of each and every grain, vegetable, and fruit. I turned from the window shifting my gaze to my handmaiden Beodwyth, she had spoken to me and I had not heard her.

"Forgive me, my mind was on other matters.. What do you need?" I asked.

She nodded her head slightly and started to speak again. "M'lady, there are several men from Edoras waiting in the main hall to see you." She bowed her head again, waiting for my reply.

"Very well, tell them I will see them shortly." I nodded and turned to grab two large books from my desk, they held the records for Wing Hold. It's coffers and granaries, improvements that needed to be made, and trade records between the hold and nearby towns. I straightened out my gown, a simple green long-sleeved dress. It was plain and conservative without many adornments. I ran a hand through my platinum blonde hair and pushed it over my shoulders.

Beodwyth left to stall the men in the hall while I took a deep breath. After a couple of minutes I followed and entered the main hall, each of the men bowed briskly and I offered a curtsey in return. "My lords, I am told you come from Edoras, to what do I owe this visit?" The oldest looking man of the group moved forward to speak as the others remained behind him listening in.

"Lady Hart of Wing, your presence has been requested in Edoras, by Eomer King." His tone was clear, even though he used the word 'requested' I knew that it should be taken as an order.

"I am terribly sorry, but I must decline, as you know there is much to be rebuilt, and we are only now getting a handle on the fires outside the walls. I must remain to assist my people in anyway that I can." I met his eye and I noted a dark scowl cross his features. "My lady, perhaps I did not make myself clear, you are being summoned to Edoras by the king himself."

I shook my head and moved to a nearby table to place the heavy ledgers. "I understood perfectly, as Eomer King will understand when you explain the situation. In its present state Wing Hold is in complete disarray and if I were to leave now while I am needed to oversee its reconstruction we might lose it completely. Meaning, we also lose the many farms still salvageable." This man obviously not used to rejection huffed and took a step back. "So you would willingly refuse the summons of the king? there are consequences for such actions."

Nodding, I sat down at the table and gestured for the men to do so. Every man but the eldest sat down right away, then eventually he did as well. "My lady, it is a very important matter and very delicate. You are being summoned because you are uniquely suited." One of the men behind him chimed in, "Except for the Gondorian princess of course." The elder frowned, "Well - yes, of course. Princess Lothiriel of Dol Amroth, is being considered as well, but I believe Eomer King would prefer a woman of Rohan instead." He hesitated briefly before continuing his plea, "M'lady, you are well respected in Edoras, as you know.. and you should not really be surprised, you were once betrothed to Theodred Prince."

I leaned forward quickly, letting out a sharp gasp, "How dare you speak to me about the prince!" For the first time I realized what this was, it was not about the many resources that Wing Hold could offer. It was about marriage. "Does the king really think that I would even consider marrying him?! - and you suggest that I should not be surprised!?" I stood, straightening my gown and mustering all of my height.

"Sir, you and your party must go, you are not welcome here."

The old man carefully stood from the table, "Beodwyth, ensure that these men receive rations and water, then send a cart of supplies with them. If I recall the winters at Medulsed are notoriously cold." I turned away from the men and walked away hearing the sounds of wood scratching against stone as the rest of the men stood from the table. As I turned into the hallway leading to my chambers I heard the old man speak again, "Thank you, Lady Wing, for your kindness."

An hour or so later I was sitting in my office, the sounds of the many refugees outside caught my ears and I turned to look out the window. Several children were gathered together kicking a ball around the yard, their laughter brought a smile to my face. A knock on the door drew my attention, "Come!" Beodwyth entered the room with a curtsey, "M'lady, the men are gone, and as you said I sent a cart with them. Food and wool, I also sent a couple barrels of wine. I didn't think you would mind." I looked up at her and smiled, "No of course not, you were right to do it, it might ease the tension at least a little bit. I'm afraid I was terribly rude." She moved forward to sit opposite of me at the desk, "M'lady, may I speak freely?" I nodded, "Very well."

She grew serious, "M'lady, you have not been to Edoras since.. well, since you were in mourning, what happened was unexpected, no one could have expected that Theodred would die, but he did and then your father.. We all suffered from that loss." I let out a sigh and rested my face in my hands as she spoke. "I beg your pardon m'lady, but we've all lost someone during this war Eomer King included, and if I remember, the two of you always got along well enough. Should you not at least heed his summons?" I could hear her fidgeting in the seat, "I mean no disrespect m'lady, but he-" I looked up suddenly and met her eyes, "You were going to say that Theodred would have wanted me to move on, to be happy, but you did not know him." She stood up from her seat and bowed her head, "You are right, forgive me, I should not speak of things I do not know." Upon hearing no response from me she curtsied, then turned to leave, "Beodwyth, open the hall for dinner, and ensure that everyone eats their fill. I will not need you any further today." She bowed her head again then left.

Later that evening I could hear the people coming and going in the hall, I remained in my office for most of it, only venturing out briefly to grab a bowl of stew and speak with some of the people. They wore their weariness as heavy as a mantle, we all did. When I returned to my office it was only to burn out any remaining candles, I would retire to my room and eat my stew in peace then settle into an uncomfortable sleep.

Sometime during the night nightmares began to plague me, I dreamed I was in the dark walking toward a mirror. I could see my reflection, and reached out to touch my face in the mirror and it shattered. I reached out again and my face fell away like a mask and it too shattered. When I reached out one last time I looked down at my hands to see them bloodied and though I tried to wipe the blood away it remained. I had the same dream for several nights after that and though Beodwyth noticed my tiredness she never mentioned it. After a week of restless sleep I had made up my mind. It would require me to break a promise, a promise, I now realize that I was never meant to keep.

Author's Note: I sincerely hope you enjoyed this chapter and the beginning of a different sort of romance. This is my first published Fanfiction though I've been writing different variations of Hart's story for years. I welcome constructive criticism from experienced writers and look forward to hearing from anyone that might help me improve my writing.


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